Installation

The first step of installing the GELID Solution Black Edition onto Intel's LGA2011 platform is to screw in the four mounting posts specific to the platform. This will form the base for the mounting brackets.


Users will now install the mounting brackets onto the LGA2011 standoffs before using the provided nuts to secure the mounting brackets in place. It should be noted that there are two mounting options for the Black Edition heatsink. After the brackets are secure, you will want to apply thermal paste in preparation of attaching the heatsink.


At this point users will want to finalize their preferred mounting orientation before securing the cooler to the motherboard with two spring screws. This portion of the installation process can be very annoying so take your time. A magnetic screwdriver will make it much easier.


It's now time to reattach the fan to the middle of the heatsink before attaching the PWM fan headers to the motherboard. You can also, should you need it, use the included PWM Y-cable to simplify the process.

The process of installing the GELID Solution Black Edition heatsink was moderately troublesome. I would rate it a 5 on a scale of 1 (hardest) to 10 (easiest). The design, while simple, has one annoying flaw: The spring screws are a pain to line-up and screw down. It’s rather distressing that something so trivial can be such a major annoyance. I hope GELID will figure out a better solution in future revisions.